Supporting attachment for ladders



May 5, 1942.

K. W. HORTON SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR A LADDER.

Filed July 9, 1940 Y 8 n W P m .t A m MH .W

Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING ATTACHMENTFOR LADDERS KennethW. Horton, Defreestvllle, N. Y.

Application July 9, 1940, Serial No. 344,541

9 Claims.

My invention more particularly relates to a supporting attachment for aladder on which a workman may stand in an erect and comfortableposition.

When work is to be performed by a workman at an elevation from theground, he usually stands on a rung of a ladder in carrying out apainting or other operation. The rung is, of course, usually round andcreates a strain upon the foot. Furthermore, the workman commonly standswith his shins against the next higher rung of the ladder, and when suchcontact is continued for any length of time it results in a diseaseknown as perioditis.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a supportcomprising a platform which is firmly supported on spaced rungs of aladder on which a workman may stand in an erect and natural position andwithout strain on the feet. i

A further object of my invention is the provision of a support of theforegoing character in which the platform is fixed with respect to theladder on which it is mounted and with no tendency of the platform tomove with respect thereto.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a supportingattachment of the foregoing character comprising a platform the topsupporting surface of which is substantially level notwithstanding thefact that the ladder on which it is mounted may stand at an inclinationto the vertical.

Other novel features of my invention will appear in the specificationand will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment thereof andin which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a ladder to which thesupport embodying my invention is attached;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the supporting attachment in folded condition;

Fig. 3 is a front view, and

Fig. 4 is an end view.

Like reference characters throughout the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 indicates, generally, a laddercomprising the usual side pieces II and rungs 12 to which the attachmentembodying my invention may be applied. Such attachment comprises aplatform indicated generally at 13, preferably including twospacedindicate like parts boards, a relatively wide board I4 for supportingthe soles of the feet of the workman and a relatively narrow board I!for supporting his heels.

While I have illustrated the boards I4 and I5 other suitable material.The wide board I is preferably disposed at the back of the ladder whereit does not interfere with a workman in ascending or descending theladder.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the boards l4 and 15 aresecured in spaced parallel relation by metal straps l6 secured to andextending across the bottom of the boards I and I5, preferably at ornear the ends of the boards and secured thereto as by bolts H. Thestraps ii are bent upwardly at their ends as at l8 and extend above theupper surface of the boards. The intermediate portions of the straps Iare curved upwardly as at I! into the space between the two boards, theinterior. of the curved portion [9 extending above the top surfaces ofthe two boards which preferably lie in substantially the same plane. Thetwo boards of the platform are suillcient-ly spaced to receive-a rung ofthe ladder and'when the attachment is mounted on such rung, the curvedportions I! of the straps l6 receive a given rung and the upper portionof the rung extends above the top surface of the platform and isreceived in the arch of the shoe of the workman whose heel engages theboard I! whil the sole engages the board ll of the platform therebypreventing slipping. Said rung is thus incorporated in said platform andforms a part of the platform.

Pivoted to the upstanding ends l8 of the straps l6 are two supportingstraps 20 each of which is preferably formed of a continuous strap ofsteel which is pivoted at its end as at 2| to the upstanding end of thestrap It. The intermediate portions of the straps are provided withhooks 22 which are adapted to engage a rung.l2l of the ladder.

Preferably the upstanding ends 18 of the straps l6 at one end of theattachment extend above the corresponding ends at the opposite end ofthe platform. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the bentends at the left hand end of the platform as viewed in Fig. 1, extendabove those at the right hand end of the platform. By forming theupstanding ends l8 in the foregoing manner, the supporting straps 20 atthe right hand end as viewed in Fig. 1, may. first be folded against theplatform and the supporting straps 20 at the left hand end then foldeddown against the other strap in parallel relation thereto thereby makingit possible to fold the parts into a compact position to facilitateshipment or handling.

In the standard ladder the rungs are arranged one foot apart. When theladder is leaning against a building or other support, it usually isarranged at an angle of about 15 to the vertical. The platform andsupporting elements are so constructed that the top surface of theplatform is approximately level when mounted on a ladder thus inclinedso that there is no tendency for a workman to slip thereon. Theforegoing result is accomplished by offsetting the supporting hooks 22from the rung of the ladder on which they are hung a suflicient distanceso that the angle formed by the line Joining the center of the hooks tothe center of the rung I will form with the line extending between thecenters of rungs HI and I2! substantially the same angle as that whichthe ladder makes with the vertical which, under the assumed conditions,is approximately 15. The surface of the platform, however, may beadjusted by providing additional openings 24, as viewed in Fig. 1 forthe reception of the pivot 2| thereby changing the inclination of thetop surface of the platform to bring it to a level position in case theinclination of the ladder is changed.

To install the supporting attachment embodying my invention in positionon a ladder it is only necessary to elevate the straps and hook them ona desired rung of the ladder with the next lower rung received in thecurved portions IQ of the straps II. In such position it is impossiblefor the platform to move backwardly or forwardly. At the same time it isnot possible for it to move or sway laterally as the straps 20 suspendthe attachment from spaced positions on the next higher rung.

With the hooks on the straps 20 engaging a first rung of a ladder andthe next lower rung received in the space between the boards 14 and I5,a workman may stand erect thereon with the arches of his shoes engagingthe lower rung and he may work as freely as though he were standing onthe ground without danger of the tilting or swaying of the platform.While he will ordinarily work with his heels engaging the board l5 andthe soles of his shoes engaging the board It, it will be obvious that hemay, if desired, stand in the reversed position with his face away-fromthe ladder.

By supporting the platform and the person standing thereon, on adjacentrungs the load may properly be distributed between adjacent rungs of aladder.

It will be noted that the hooked'straps attached to the platform exert adownwardly directed force on the rung above the platform which combinedwith the loops over the next lower rung combine to prevent the platformpositively from tilting, swinging, or swaying to the side therebyproviding a stable platform on which a workman may stand.

The supporting attachment embodying my invention may readily be movedfrom one position -to another on the ladder without the use of any toolsor equipment whatever.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it isto be understood that the words which I have used are words ofdescription rather than of limitation.

claims may be made without departing from the Hence,- changes within thepurview of the appended 1. In a supporting attachment for a ladder, a

platform comprising spaced boards, straps extending across the bottom ofsaid boards and attached thereto for securing the same in spacedrelation and bent upwardly at their ends across the edges of saidboards, the bent ends of the strap at one end of said platform extendinghigher than those at the other end, and supporting straps pivotallyattached to the ends of said first straps and provided with hooks forattachment to a second rung of said ladder whereby said pivotallymounted straps may be folded over each other and lie substantiallyparallel.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting platform for aladder comprising two spaced boards between which a rung of said ladderis received, first supporting members secured to and extendingunderneath and transversely of said platform, second supporting membersattached to the forward ends of said first supporting members andextending to and supported upon the next higher rung of the ladder, andthird supporting members attached to the rear ends of said firstsupporting members and extending to and supported upon said next higherrung.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting platform for aladder comprising two spaced boards between which 9. runs of said ladderis received, two spaced's'upporting members extending underneath andattached to said platform, said members being bent upwardly between saidboards and engaged with a rung of said ladder, second supporting membersattached to the forward ends of said first supporting members andextending to and attachable to said next upperrungof said ladder andthird supporting members attached to the rear ends of said firstsupporting members and extending to and enaageable with the next upperrung of said ladder.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting platform for aladder comprising two spaced boards between which a rung of said ladderis received, first supporting members secured to and extendingunderneath and transversely of said platform, second supporting membersattached to the forward ends of said first supporting members andextending to and supported upon the next higher rung of the ladder, andthird supporting members attached to the rear ends of said firstsupporting members and exderneath said platform.

6. In a supporting attachment'f'or a ladder, a platform comprising twoboards spaced sufficiently to receive a rung of an associated ladder,two first supporting members extending transversely beneath saidplatform and bent upwardly into the space between said boards, andengageable with the rung between said boards and forming a supporttherefor, and two second supporting members pivotally attached to thefront and rear ends of said first supporting members and attachable tothe next higher rung of said ladder.

7. In a supporting attachment for a ladder, a platform comprising twoboards spaced sumciently to receive a'rung of an associated ladder, twofirst supporting members extending transversely beneath said platformand bent upwardly into the space between said boards and engageable withthe rungbetween said boards and forming a support therefor, and twosecond supporting members pivotally attached to the front and rear endsof said first supporting members and provided at intermediate portionswith open hooks engageable with a next higher rung of said ladder.

8. In an attachment for a ladder, a support ing platform comprising twoboards spaced apart substantially the same distance as the diameter of arung of the laddenthe front board being supporting members secured tosaid boards and extending transversely underneath the same, and fourother supporting members attached to the respective ends of said firstmembers which extend underneath the platform for attaching said platformto an upper rung of a ladder whereby a user may ascend and descend theladder without interference with said platform.

9. In a device of the character described,. a

20 rung of saidladder.

KENNETH W. HORTON.

narrower than the rear board, at least two first

